Capping apparatus



1945' J: J. KiTTEss 2,385,004,

CAPPING APPARATU S Filed April 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l I I T INVENTOR. JI'JI A/ 7' 72-1) 6 Sept. '18; 1945- v J. J. KITTESS I 2,385,004

CAPPING APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i E :1 77 E1 M & & L:

INVENTOR.

' JTJIKITTE Spt.

J. J. KITTESS CAPPING APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAPPING APP RATUS Jason J. Kittess Los Angeles, Calif.- Application April 25, 1944, Serial No. 532,655

(01. 22sss.1) I

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a capping apparatus.

The general object of the invention is to pro- Vide an improved apparatus for feeding closure members.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle cap feeding device.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing an apparatus embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a plan view with parts in section showing the bottle cap chute and cap impeller;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the hopper;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6,' Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing the hopper chute;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88, Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section showing the lower end of the discharge chute; Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram, and

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line I I-I I, Fig. 9. This application is a division of application Serial No. 439,374, filed April 12; 1943.

Referring to the drawings by reference char-'- acters, I have shown my invention as embodied in a bottle cap feeding apparatus which is indicated generally at I0. The apparatus shown and described is arranged to feed screw caps to bottle capping apparatus, but it will be understood that this reference to screw caps and bottles is for the purpose of illustration only and that the apparatus is adapted to feed various types of closures.

As shown, the apparatus includes a base II mounted on suitable legs I2. The apparatus is adapted to feed bottle caps I4 onto bottles I4 which may be transported on a conveyor I5.

The apparatus includes a bottle cap hopper which is indicated at I5. The hopper is supported with its axis inclined as shown in Fig. 1, and the hopper includes a base 16 (Fig. 1) which is shown as round and is surrounded by a side wall 11. The side wall TI is of greater length on the lower side of the hopper so that the caps will not fall out.

Within the hopper I arrange a disc 18 which is mounted on the shaft I9. The shaft I9 extends downwardly as shown in Fig. 1 and the shaft and hopper are supported on a frame portion 80 which. extends upwardly from the base II previously mentioned.

The shaft I9 has a sprocket 8| thereon which is engaged by .a chain 82. The chain 82 passes overa' sprocket 83 mounted on the armature shaft 84 of a motor 85. .The construction is such that when the motor 85, is operating the disc I8 will be rotated. The disc' I8 on the upper surface thereof is provided with agitating members 86 which are shown as arranged in cruciform shape and which stir the bottle caps which rest upon the disc 18 so that the caps gradually move downwardlyin the hopper I5.

"In order to control operation of the motor I provide photoelectric means including a light sensitive photoelectric cell 81 mounted in the housing 88 and a source of light 89 mounted in a housing 90. As shown in Fig. 10 the lightsource 8'9Jis in the circuit 9| to the motor l8 which drives the conveyor I5 by means not shown so that when the motor I8 operates the light 89 will be illuminated- The light from source 89 passes across the conveyor belt and when uninterrupted energizes the cell 01 which through a magnet 92 opens a switch 93'to the motor 85. When light from the 'sourc'e89 is interrupted by thepresence ofa bottle on the conveyor the electro-magnet 92 releases the switch 93 and a spring 94 pulls the switch to'onposition so that the motor 85 will operate.

The disc I8 is provided with a peripheral cut away or rabbetjportion 99. The rabbet 99 together with the adjacent wall ofthe hopper 15 forms a circumferential groove I00 the bottom of which is the lower wall I00 of the rabbet. In the groove thus provided I mount a series of leaf springs IEiI which are attached to the inner surface of the groove and project outwardly as shown in Fig. 5. The leaf springs IOI are arcuate and are adapted to correctly position bottle caps which fall into the groove I00. Most of the bottle caps become positioned so that either their tops or the skirts contact the bottom of the groove and thus they advance to a discharge chute I02 which has an entrance portion I03 substantially either be forced downwardly into the groove or will be discharged from the groove.

The discharge chute I02 twists through 90 and caps passing into this chute move downwardly in the chute to a portion of the chute shown in Fig. 7 wherein the chute is provided with a main portion we and a by-pass portion I01. At the junction of the portions I06 and I01 I provide an upper pair of deflecting rails I08 and a lower pair of deflecting rails [118. These rails are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the cap so that a cap with a skirt directed downwardly for instance'a cap indicated at B in Fig. 7-will engage the rails I08 and will move by gravity down the chute portion III'I. Caps with the skirt directed upwardly, as for instance caps C in Fig. 7, will have their flanges engaged by the rails I08 so that they will be directed into the chute I06 in which they will move. downwarclly.

The chute portions I06 and I01 "turn through 90 in opposite directions as they ipass'to a delivery chute I09. The caps in the chutes I06 and It}? therefore are turned through 90 in opposite directions so that as a result all of the caps pass into the delivery chute I09 in proper position with their tops directed upwardly.

In order to prevent caps from jamming as they enter the main chute I09 I provide a rotary member I It which includes fingers 11 I, movable in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 to periodically force backwardly bottle caps in the chute portions. To rotate the member IIO it is driven by the armature shaft I12 of a motor I'I3 which is suitably controlled.

The delivery chute "I09 is continued as at I I4 and is provided with an exit portion H5. On each side of the exit portion a leaf spring H6 is mounted. These springs 'IIB are "normally spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the body of the cap so that the springs retain the cap in the position shown in Fig. '9.

Below the chute II I I provide a guide member which -includes depending walls 111. 'The walls II! are flared outwardly as at II 8 so that bottles advancing on the conveyor I if they are at one side or the other of their correct position will be moved "by the flaring portion H8 to correct position so that they will pass between the sides I II.

The bottom of the chute portion 'I I4 is cut away at IIB so that a bottle advancing will be in a position to engage the lowermost cap in the chute II as shown in Fig. 9.

In the operation of my invention a supply of bottle caps is placed in the hopper I5 and bottles are suitably placed on the conveyor IS. The motors I8, and I I3 are placed in operation. The bottles passing across the path of light from the exciter 89 to the photoelectric cell 81 causes the motor 85 to operate so that the hopper is rotated.

The bottle caps are discharged into the chute I02 whence they pass to the chutes I06 and ID! and are delivered to the delivery chute I09. The threaded necks of the bottles, as shown in Fig. 9, engage the inclined caps and pull the caps away from the springs I I6. The bottles are guided into the proper position for engaging the caps by the flaring portions IIB of the guide member walls III.

The bottle caps are applied by belts 3B driven by pulleys 31 on shafts 38 on frames 26.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A bottle cap feeding apparatus including a support, a hopper on said support, said hopper including a bottom and a cylindrical side wall, said bottom being inclined from the horizontal, a disc disposed above the bottom of said hopper, means to rotatably support the disc, means to rotate the disc, said disc having a peripheral rabb'et therein, cap engaging members in said rabbet, resilient means to urge caps into said rabb'et, and a discharge chute extending from said hopper, said chute having an entrance portion arranged to receive bottle caps in said rabbet.

2. A bottle cap feeding apparatus including a support, a hopper on said support, said hopper including .a bottom and a cylindrical side wall, said bottom being inclined from the horizontal, a disc disposed above the bottom of said hopper, means to rotatably support the disc, means to rotate the disc, said disc having agitating means thereon, said disc having a peripheral rabbet therein, leaf springs attached to the inner surface of said rabbet and projecting outwardly therefrom, said springs being disposed below the plane of the top of said disc, other leaf springs on the wall of said hopper, said other leaf springs having downwardly directed free ends disposed to engage caps in said rabbet, and a discharge chute extending from said hopper, said chute having an entrance portion arranged to receive bottle caps in said rabbet.

' JASON J. KI'I'IESS. 

